Evaluation

Evaluation is absolutely key to understanding what students, scientists and teachers have gained from the event, and figuring out what we can do better.

Due to the online nature of I’m a Scientist, our evaluations are able to capture an unparalleled degree of information relating to the impact of the program. Web analytics and site usage statistics are combined with surveys, interviews, school performance data and classroom observations to produce in depth reports that far exceed what other STEM programs are able to measure.

This data is then presented in easy to read and eye catching reports. Take a look!

The first evaluation report provides a detailed analysis of the I’m a Scientist USA pilot event held in May 2015.
Data suggested that the pilot event was very successful, exceeding teachers’ expectations and inspiring students.

Scientists became more confident in communicating their science and developed techniques to provide informative yet short explanations. The excitement and interest of the students reaffirmed the importance of their work, re-invigorating and inspiring them. The opportunity to learn more about their own subject from a broader perspective revived their enthusiasm for their work and made them more knowledgeable about their subject.

Students enjoyed the event and were far more interested in science jobs and careers. Students of all ages, abilities and backgrounds engaged well with the scientists and found the event to be a rewarding experience.

Teachers were all very pleased with the experience their students had and the positive impressions the scientists made. They developed a better understanding of their students’ interests and 86% gained new ideas for teaching. Given the opportunity, they would all enroll classes in future events.

The logistical and technical delivery of the event went very smoothly and was praised by teachers and scientists.

If you don’t want to read the full document we’ve got an executive summary that covers the key information and findings from the pilot.

The evaluation concluded that the event was successful, finding that it was a useful tool for students to learn about soils and their role in plant productivity. Scientists involved had positive interactions with students and found the format useful given their science communication goals. Teachers found the format very useful for themselves and their students and would participate in future I’m a Scientist events.